Published by Scottie
I am an older gay guy in a long-term wonderful relationship. My spouse and I are in our 36th year together. I love politics and news. I enjoy civil discussions and have no taboo subjects. My pronouns are he / him / his and my email is Scottiestoybox@gmail.com
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Love this guy’s content. Check out Justin on DZdebates on YouTube. Superb bible knowledge and debate skills.
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Hi Jeff. Thanks for the recommendation. I like to watch biblical experts and scholars who destroy the idea that the bible is against homosexuality and that it is an infallible moral authority about everything. I dislike people who don’t know enough about the times that the bible was written or what the languages and translations have done to the meaning of what is written but they use what they think it says to harm others that feel different from them. Hugs
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Yes!! You will truly enjoy Justin’s content. I’m watching him right now. I’ve never seen anyone with more knowledge on the bible than Justin. He also has a pleasant debate style and doesn’t get overly agitated with some of the idiots who call in to his show. He pushes back when it’s called for but does his best to keep the conversation calm and civil. This can be hard to do as many religious callers are rage-filled and hostile. Give him a watch. Let me know what you think. Take care, my friend. 😊🤗
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Hi Jeff. Yes they do get rage filled and hostile, and I wonder why. Some even get violent. No where does Jesus say to hate or be angry at those that disagree with you. Jesus never said be abusive to those with different ideas. Yet the ones most sure they and they that think like them only know what god really wanted are the most vulgar, vile, and abusive. They feel entitled to their hateful attacks on anyone who doesn’t agree with them using the most vile insults and demeaning language. I never read where Jesus said to call disbelievers names and insult them with disgusting verbal garbage. I never read where Jesus told his followers to physically harm others who don’t agree with them. Hugs
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There actually are places in the bible where Jesus calls people names and calls for war and to bring a sword to fight with. He calls one non-Jewish woman a dog in a very derogatory way. The bible is not what I thought it was. I learned this from Justin and Dan whose video you have here. Watch Justin’s channel. He continually says and shows how almost no one, Christians in particular, read or have read the bible. It is not what you think or have been taught. It’s got far, far more negative shit than I ever thought, especially when it comes to Jesus. I’m not really the source to go with on this. Justin would be. He just reads what’s actually there. But your right: the kind loving Jesus that American Christians claim they believe in, would be ashamed and outraged by their hate filled behavior if he were real. Sorry to ramble.
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Hi Jeff Jesus did tell them to sell their cloak and to buy swords, but when Peter went to use the sword Jesus berated him. The reason for buying the swords was not for defending themselves but because the scripture must be fulfilled that says he was found among the lawless. I cued up the video where Dan McClellan talks about that in particular, and the video addresses the idea of Jesus and the Gospels as advocating peace and denouncing the violence and taking over of government that the current Christian nationalists want to promote the bible saying. It is worth watching. Oh and I copied the transcript but they are harder to get the sense of the video due to how YouTube breaks them out.
I agree the old Testement god was a bastard who was vindictive, cruel, and violent. But Jesus refuted all that because the Roman government at the time wouldn’t have tolerated any preacher calling for their overthrow as the rulers. So as McClellan explains at the time of Jesus they walked a narrow line to escape calling more government attention to themselves. As far as Paul was concerned he felt the return of Christ and the end of the earthly governents was imminent so he argued for people not getting married and having children. So again no need for violence as the return of Christ was just about to happen in their lifetimes.
As for the woman being called a dog I did not remember that one so I looked it up. Here is what I found. First the can’t be shut off AI responce. “Yes, in the Bible, Jesus referred to a Canaanite woman as a “dog” during their interaction in Matthew 15:21-28. However, the term he used was more akin to a household pet, indicating a deeper meaning rather than an insult. This reflects his mission to include Gentiles while initially prioritizing the Jews.”
So I read further and from Bible Hub I got this. https://biblehub.com/q/why_did_jesus_call_the_woman_a_dog.htm Starting at the end of the first paragraph where it sets up the place and scene of what was happening when Jesus said that line. “The unfolding conversation ultimately brings forth the statement that has generated much discussion: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).
In certain Jewish contexts of the time, “dogs” could be used pejoratively when referring to Gentiles who were outside the covenant community of Israel. Yet a closer examination of the Greek text reveals that Jesus employs a diminutive form of the word (kunarion), which can suggest “little dogs” or “house dogs,” rather than wild or mangy street dogs. This nuance may soften the sharpness of the term, indicating more a household pet under its master’s care than a detested stray.
At the same time, the cultural mindset in first-century Palestine defined strict boundaries between Jewish and Gentile communities. The Messiah’s primary mission was first to the Jews (cf. Romans 1:16), though God’s plan consistently aimed to bring blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:3). From the perspective of Jewish believers steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Gentile woman had no direct claim on Israel’s Messiah under the old covenantal framework. Yet Jesus’ use of the term “dogs,” while culturally familiar to His disciples, functions in a broader narrative that demonstrates God’s compassion beyond ethnic barriers.
The woman’s reply-“Yes, Lord… even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matthew 15:27)-displays remarkable humility, faith, and insight. She acknowledges her position outside the ancestral covenant and yet appeals to the abundant mercy of the Messiah. Rather than being offended, she continues to seek His help, suggesting that even the smallest portion of God’s power is sufficient to heal her daughter.
This exchange can be interpreted in part as a test meant not only to reveal her steadfastness but also to illustrate a lesson to onlookers, both then and now. In the final assessment, Jesus praises her astonishing belief: “O woman… your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire” (Matthew 15:28). This climactic response confirms that, despite using language that highlights Jewish-Gentile distinctions, Jesus honors genuine faith regardless of ethnic background.”
Boy this was fun. Thank you Jeff. I have not done a look up research into things in months due to my situation. It felt good to do the research into this. I feel good that I can still think clearly enough to still look stuff up. I had forgotten how much I enjoy learning stuff. I had not remembered the woman incident until I read up on it. But from the story you described, I knew it was not fitting with what I was taught in church school / church sermons of the Jesus that the church promoted. That was an inclusive caring loving Jesus. They were open and loving to everyone but sadly I left the church because they couldn’t bring themselves to extend that loving god to gay people. So even they missed the lessons they tried to teach. Hugs
So here we see what texts are given more weight in this individual’s negotiations with the text because the New Testament
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10 minutes, 47 seconds overwhelmingly asserts emphasizes demands peace and forgiveness and nonviolence. But we go
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10 minutes, 56 seconds to one passage, Luke 22:36, where Jesus says to sell your cloak and buy a sword.
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11 minutes, 2 seconds And then he goes on to say, because the scripture must be fulfilled that says he was found among the lawless. And then Peter says, well, we’ve got two swords
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11 minutes, 11 seconds here. And Jesus says, it is enough. And most scholars would say this is to facilitate the brief skirmish that
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11 minutes, 19 seconds breaks out when Jesus is arrested. and the sword is used to cut off one of the officials ears and Jesus then stops the
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11 minutes, 28 seconds violence immediately. And so that fulfills the scripture that he was counted among the lawless. And so most scholars would say this rather unique
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11 minutes, 37 seconds rather out of character advocacy for carrying illegal weapons was probably
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11 minutes, 44 seconds just intended to tell that story in a way that fulfills prophecy.
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Naw. Jesus does plenty of nasty shit in the New testament. I don’t have it memorized, buy Dan’s channel, as you note here, is great, and Justin’s is even better. Jesus was an apocalyptic Jewish preacher. The end was now. Only through him can you reach heaven. Only through him can you avoid the flames of hell. The most important point is that, no matter your deeds, only by letting him into your heart can you avert total damnation. Leave your family behind and follow me, he says. I am the only path. By these standards, Jeffrey Dahmer, by accepting him into his heart, is now dancing in heaven with Yahweh. His young, gay victims, who he killed and ate, are burning in the flames of hell IF they didn’t kiss his ass and accept and believe in him before they died. No matter how good they were otherwise, they’re burning for eternity if they didn’t do that. This is not a good guy. He wants his ass worshipped, accepted, and kissed or you burn. Deeds be damned. This isn’t a good person IMO. Yes, he said lots of peachy keen cool shit, but he’s an asshole who craves worship. We need to move past this crap, make our own decisions based on human empathy and kindness, not ass kissing. Great to study the bible as a literary source, but this Jesus guy, if he’s the POS in the bible and real, can fuck right off and enjoy his time hanging out with Dahmer. Call into Justin’s show. You can talk to him. I’m not remotely equipped for biblical arguments, but I can read, and from what I’ve read about this Jesus clown, he can bugger off. Peace and love, brother. Gotta go walk my pooch.
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Hi Jeff. Much of what you said about Jesus is true. Except one thing that I think is important at least to me. Jesus did not believe in the version of heaven or hell that Christianity has today. I was taught that Jesus as you said was a Jewish preacher. Jews of Jesus’s time believed that the soul needed the body to exist as god breathed the soul into the body at the first breath, as in when god formed Adam and breathed into him “the breath of life”. Jesus believed as did the Jewish people that when a person died they returned to dust and knew nothing. The SDA church I was in did not believe in hell as a permanent place of fire and torment. They taught that heaven was the kingdom of god and when jesus returned to earth he would bring the kingdom of god with him and he would cause the faithful to rise from the dead, fully formed in our new heavenly bodies to join him. The nonbelievers would also be returned to life in their earthly bodies where they would see the truth which is the torment and then die the final eternal death. Hell was preached as the eternal separation from a loving god by remaining as dust in death not knowing god. It is much closer to what the Jews of Jesus time thought of as heaven and hell than most of Christianity today.
So the idea that Jesus would celebrate gays or anyone else being in that “hell” doesn’t fit with the Jesus of the bible that healed the gay centurion’s boyfriend. It doesn’t fit with the Jesus that preached the acceptance of even the most hated of their current society. As you said Jesus viewed anyone who accepted him as the way to god, the one who speaks the word of god, as the son of god was saved.
This is more like the Jesus of the bible I was taught about. From the Time article about Jewish beliefs of heaven & hell I read to make sure I remembered it correctly because I left the church a long time ago. https://time.com/5822598/jesus-really-said-heaven-hell/
“… for Jesus, the earthly utopia will come to those who are fully dedicated to the most pervasive and dominant teachings of God’s law. Put most simply, that involves loving God above all things despite personal hardship, and working diligently for the welfare of others, even when it is exceedingly difficult. People who have not been living lives of complete unselfish love need to repent and return to the two “greatest commandments” of Jewish Scripture: deep love of God (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) and committed love of neighbor (Leviticus 19:18).
“This may be simple, but it is not easy. Since your neighbor is anyone you know, see, or hear about, as in the parable of the Good Samaritan, true love means helping everyone in need, not just those in your preferred social circles. Jesus was concerned principally for the poor, the outcasts, the foreigners, the marginalized, and even the most hated enemies. Few people are. Especially those with good lives and abundant resources. No wonder it’s easier to push a camel through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom.”
Jeff for me the marginalized above means the LGBTQ+ community as well. But as McCallen says everyone and every religious leader negotiates with the bible on what they want it to say and what they claim it says. So the Jesus I was taught about is vastly different from the one you were taught about. In fact the person who talks about Jesus and Christianity from the view point of the Jesus I remember is the Anglican priest Rev. Ed Trevors. https://www.youtube.com/@revedtrevors4961 Of course back then the SDA religious views of a loving Christ did not include the gays in the late 1970s / early 1980s. They preached the same hate against gays that the leaders heard when they were younger learning how to become preachers.
The funny thing is when I went to the Adventist Guide the church had relaxed their views compared to when I was a teen boy. https://adventistguide.com/what-are-adventist-views-on-lgbtq-community/ It seemed they sort of found the Jesus they told us kids about.
“While the Adventist Church holds traditional Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality, it also has a history of welcoming and ministering to individuals who identify as LGBTQ+“.
“… Adventists believe that God created human beings in His image and that everyone should be treated with love and respect. They also believe that all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Adventist leaders have stated that they believe in the biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality, as outlined in the 28 fundamental beliefs, but also that they will continue to minister to and support all individuals, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. They also have stated that they will continue to advocate for the rights and protections of all people, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
I wish they had been so welcoming when I was a closeted teen gay boy trying hard not to be outed. I undeniably would have had a much better time in the church. Not only that, but I saw one boy and two girls removed from the school because the school officials thought they were gay. I was scared I would be next even though during the summer I had routinely been molested by the dean of the boys dorm along with a friend of mine also by a teacher in the summer and during the school year.
I hope this is not too long and you just skip reading it. I had a fun time talking about this subject as it is not much discussed on the blog and I have not felt up to replying much to people. Your comment was very interesting to me and let me have some good memories as there were plenty of good people in the local churches that I enjoyed being with. They were adults that did not see me as an object to be abused and hurt. Instead they treated me with kindness and made me long to be with them and their families. These were the only homes I was allowed to go to growing up as I was forbidden from having other kids over and I was never allowed to go to other kids homes. But for some reason the adopting parents allowed me to go to these kids / adults homes. I wonder if they felt to do so would expose them as I was of the age I could have run away from where I lived to one of their homes. Hugs
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Oh and give a few loving pets to the pooch for me. Hugs
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Ah, but it does fit the bible, and it doesn’t, but sometimes it does. I was raised Catholic. For 12 years I was taught all the peachy cool things about Jesus. But in recent years, I’ve actually read the damn thing. All of it. Jesus talks of fire and flame for non believers. And he also talks of peachy keen nice things. It’s a book filled with contradictions. It is a horrendous book to use as a moral guide. I’m repulsed by it and sickened by the amount of defense it gets even from atheists at times. I’m not getting into some friggin quote battle. This book needs whatever the reader wants to be. Hate gays? Well by golly, if you read the right passages the “right” way, you’re biblically justified in hating them. Like gays, well gosh by golly poke around in the book, find the right verses, read them the “right” way, and the bible supports gay folks! Amazing how that works. It scares me the amount of weight and versimilitude this book gets in our government and our culture. There are better people in literature to get moral guidance from than the contradiction that is Jesus in this book. We need to set it aside. Move on. Use our ability to be empathic with our fellow humans and find our own internal peace and goodness. I personally like, if we’re talking about characters from literature, Superman. He’s powerful, saves people and animals and demands nothing in return. Imagine a story where Superman saves the whole earth from a massive disaster of some kind then turns around and says to humans, Now, since I’ve saved you, I need you to worship me, kiss my ass and do all you can to get those around you to kiss my ass too. Those who do this, I’ll keep saving. Those who don’t, I’m gonna use my heat vision to turn them into French fries. Would that be the words of a hero or a narcissistic asshole? Jesus does speak of the fires of hell for non believers. I’m not digging for quotes right now but just Google, what does Jesus say about hell fire? It saddened me that this book is used has so much weight in our society. It’s awful. Most Christians are trinitarians. They believe the Yahweh of the OT and Jesus are the SAME guy. To me, this is idiotic, but not to them. This they twist themselves into pretzels defending the awful shit Yahweh does in the OT. It’s sickening and saddening to hear. We’re better than this. But, I must admit defeat because I think removing this book from our government and stripping it of it’s given power are impossible. It won’t happen in my life time. I actually like reading the book on an academic level. It’s fu
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fun, I meant to say. Sorry . Got a phone call. Any way, I rambled enough. Hope you guys are as well as can be given the shit ass crap going on with the fucking government. Makes me a nervous wreck. Can’t sleep for shit and it triggers all the flashbacks and abusive memories I’ve had pounded into my noodle over the years. Keep in touch, my friend.
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Hi Jeff. I understand being upset and anxious over what tRump and crew are doing and may do next. It is enough to drive Gandhi to violence. Because I have had to be in bed with no energy and lots of pain lately I use mindless short YouTube clips to distract me from everything. Everything from movie / TV show clips to watching the comedians. Just something to help me focus on anything but the current state of the country and myself. Best wishes and I hope you find rest and peace. It is hard enough to deal with intrusive thoughts and memories of abuse without having tRump and bigots make it worse. Hugs
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